Video: Scott Walker supports path to citizenship for illegals

posted at 6:51 pm on July 3, 2013 by Allahpundit

No, no, I’m kidding. We’re still recovering from the trauma of Marco “Tea Party” Rubio deciding that Chuck Schumer has some really awesome ideas on immigration. We’re in no condition to write off any other potential 2016 heroes. (To which I quickly add: Most conservatives haven’t written off Rubio either.) Quote:

“If people want to come here and work hard and benefit, I don’t care whether they come from Mexico or Ireland or Germany or Canada or South Africa or anywhere else,” Walker said Tuesday during an interview with the Daily Herald Media Editorial Board of Wisconsin. “I want them here.”

Walker was then asked about the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally. The editorial board asked if he could “envision a world where with the right penalties and waiting periods and meet the requirements where those people could get citizenship?”

“Sure,” Walker responded. “I mean I think it makes sense.”

Like every other member of the Republican establishment, Walker sounded tougher on immigration as a candidate than he does as an elected official. But look: Unless Ted Cruz runs in 2016, it’s highly likely that every Republican onstage during the primaries will support a path to citizenship. Even House Republicans who technically oppose it sometimes do so with an asterisk, emphasizing that they oppose creating a new, special path for illegals as part of comprehensive reform but not necessarily allowing illegals to apply through normal channels after having lived here with legal status for some period. The only top-flight candidate I know of who’s made noise about blocking illegals from citizenship is Jeb Bush, and that was simply his lame attempt to get a second look from border hawks in case he runs. If legalization occurs, citizenship will follow at some point; anything else would leave illegals with second-class status, which would be political poison for the GOP. Legalization means citizenship, and the Democrats’ price for agreeing to more border security is legalization. This is why I’ve spent a lot of time whining about Rubio’s cave on probationary legalization before the border is secured in the Gang of Eight bill and less time whining about his support for citizenship years down the road. The initial legalization is the GOP’s only real leverage in making sure the border is tightened so that we don’t have to do this again in 25 years. That was Rubio’s crucial sell-out.

Besides, Walker and Rubio are positioned very differently in 2016. Walker’s the guy who took on big labor and the screeching left in the name of collective bargaining reforms. He’ll run as Mr. Fiscal Responsibility. Rubio will run as Mr. Electability (a very socially conservative Mr. Electability), with immigration reform his big asset and his big liability. This is a central issue for Rubio and an ancillary one for Walker, so Walker will have more room to maneuver. Having said all that, though, watch the clip. He seems focused mainly on work visas, not so much citizenship, but I’d be interested in hearing him elaborate on what he says about border security: “I don’t know if you need any of that if you had a better, saner way to let people into the country in the first place.” Hmmm.

Comments

jimver on July 4, 2013 at 2:32 PM

While the professionals moving to Canada may end up voting liberal:

1) They will be a net benefit it terms of contribution (both in terms of their career and paying taxes, while our illegals will be a drain)
2) They are arriving in accordance with a regulated schedule, not 11 – 20 million at one time and 70%+ coming from one place so they don’t have to assimilate)

(To which I quickly add: Most conservatives haven’t written off Rubio either.)

Doesn’t matter, AP.

Enough have that Rubio will never, ever win a presidential election. Just ask presidents McCain and Romney.

I tire of this constant “the conservative base we’re alienating isn’t all that big to begin with” nonsense. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, as long as the Stupid Party doesn’t find more replacements through their panderfests (they never do, by the way) than they lose in those of us who decide to just let it burn.

Here’s a hint: If you make 100 voters stay home and manage to get 50 new voters to vote for you, you STILL lose.

(To which I quickly add: Most conservatives haven’t written off Rubio either.)

Doesn’t matter, AP.

Enough have that Rubio will never, ever win a presidential election. Just ask presidents McCain and Romney.

I tire of this constant “the conservative base we’re alienating isn’t all that big to begin with” nonsense. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, as long as the Stupid Party doesn’t find more replacements through their panderfests (they never do, by the way) than they lose in those of us who decide to just let it burn.

Here’s a hint: If you make 100 voters stay home and manage to get 50 new voters to vote for you, you STILL lose.

Misha I on July 4, 2013 at 3:55 PM

Remember when Obama went on the celeb shows and some of us laughed (including myself to my embarrassment now).

He remembered his base and they rewarded him. Of course, it’s all a pander, but at least Obama made the effort.

The GOP couldn’t be bothered, just as when Rubio or some other “electable” RINO gets nominated.

So either the GOP gets purged or a viable third party gets started. This is what I said when Romney won the nomination and here we are almost a year later still bemoaning the inevitable.

You MUST adhere to the conservative groupthink! One small deviation on ANY issue and you are a RINO and will be ostracized! You must not deviate from the idological line or you will be severely punished! Any independent thinking, any debate whatsoever of the “true conservative” position will be met with your destruction. Alles klar?

I am not ready to write Walker off yet either. I want to hear more clarification from him on this issue. Because, listen to the question again: “The editorial board asked if he could “envision a world where with the right penalties and waiting periods and meet the requirements where those people could get citizenship?”

“Sure,” Walker responded. “I mean I think it makes sense.”

Waiting periods, penalties, requirements. Now isn’t that what we as conservative Americans want for immigration, and what we have had in America in the past?
Now, how could not wanting to close the door totally on immigrants and immigration- which is what some of you here seem to want from your comments – make Walker a RINO?! Isn’t immigration part of what America is all about? People from other countries coming here to find freedom and follow their dreams?(I know, of course we have to work to get our freedoms back from this crappy administration, but in general….)

You MUST adhere to the conservative groupthink! One small deviation on ANY issue and you are a RINO and will be ostracized! You must not deviate from the idological line or you will be severely punished! Any independent thinking, any debate whatsoever of the “true conservative” position will be met with your destruction. Alles klar?

crosspatch on July 4, 2013 at 4:44 PM

Debate: allowed. Espousing leftist ideas: not allowed. It’s not that hard, and if it is, then maybe you ought to switch teams.

Isn’t immigration part of what America is all about? People from other countries coming here to find freedom and follow their dreams?(I know, of course we have to work to get our freedoms back from this crappy administration, but in general….)

Sterling Holobyte on July 4, 2013 at 4:58 PM

That WAS what America WAS all about. Immigrants came here, made a contribution and assimilated. We had a frontier to tame. We didn’t have 315 million people then and welfare benefits that attract other country’s misfits. The people aren’t doctors, engineers or chemists. And they don’t plan to assimilate. They want to live like more upscale Mexicans with the stupid gringos paying for everything.

Horse malarkey. There must be no compromise! Not one inch. By debating, you are admitting to being a leftist RINO! You MUST accept the “True Conservative” line without question, without thought or you will be destroyed! You must not compromise the True Conservative principles. It must be ALL OR NOTHING!

Isn’t immigration part of what America is all about? People from other countries coming here to find freedom and follow their dreams?(I know, of course we have to work to get our freedoms back from this crappy administration, but in general….)

Sterling Holobyte on July 4, 2013 at 4:58 PM

We’ve had problems in our past when immigration wasn’t controlled and caused economic and social distress.

Usually we have had these problems when other countries were either starving or purging their own native populations or deporting targeted ethnic/religious groups.

It’s a type of demographic dumping.

Any sovereign nation has the right and responsibility to enact responsible immigration laws that benefit the nation as a whole.

In recent decades our country has abdicated that responsibility making it expensive and difficult for legal immigrants to become citizens and allowing lawless migration that perpetuates exploitation.

That WAS what America WAS all about. Immigrants came here, made a contribution and assimilated. We had a frontier to tame. We didn’t have 315 million people then and welfare benefits that attract other country’s misfits. The people aren’t doctors, engineers or chemists. And they don’t plan to assimilate. They want to live like more upscale Mexicans with the stupid gringos paying for everything.

bw222 on July 4, 2013 at 5:23 PM

True enough.

When secularist liberals decided to take over the social network that had always been the province of the religious charitable institutions…they created permanent welfare.

Welfare is not Charity.

Charity enriches the wounded spirit and gives a hand up toward independence within the individual…It is not a shameful thing because it is designed on spiritual principles that honor the dignity of all involved…and the charity cases responded in kind.

Everyone benefits and religious communities bind together because a hard time is possible for all of us at one time or another.

When people volunteer their time and goods and money to help people in catastrophic need recover…that is charity…a cardinal virtue.

Prolonged State Sponsored Welfare is a crushing blow to the dignity of the individual and crushes innate aspiration…It does not heal the spirit through community…it indulges the vices in human nature and it rarely leads to recovery and often splits families and communities.

I’m not worried. Walker is probably referring to actual, enforceable legislation. However, he’s never authored any such legislation or brokered such a deal. Rubio, on the other hand, has, and then stands up and lies right to our faces about it.

So he’s anti union like I am but he want’s to drive wages down with mass povertyy labolr saturation. That is just cruwl if you are going to hold both of those positions. The working pooor should punish the Republicans and I’m sure they will.

They are arriving in accordance with a regulated schedule, not 11 – 20 million at one time and 70%+ coming from one place so they don’t have to assimilate)

bw222 on July 4, 2013 at 3:49 PM

I’m not worried. Walker is probably referring to actual, enforceable legislation. However, he’s never authored any such legislation or brokered such a deal. Rubio, on the other hand, has, and then stands up and lies right to our faces about it.

Let’s wait for a more detailed explanation.

MadisonConservative on July 4, 2013 at 9:02 PM

You two bright lads seem to see what I see…why is everyone else so stupid and dense?

bw222 on July 4, 2013 at 5:23 PM
workingclass artist on July 4, 2013 at 6:17 PM

And I agree with both of you. We can’t afford hoards of people coming here(especially without going through the proper channels) who just want a free lunch from our government(i.e. the taxpayers). But I don’t necessarily think that Walker does either. I just want to hear more from him on this issue.

Securing the borders is top priority, yes. But that wasn’t even part of the questioning, so we don’t know, yet, how Walker feels about that or what he would do about it. As my governor, and as someone who stood up to tremendous pressure from demoncrats, unions, and all that the libs could throw at him, and Did. Not. Back. Down. I say he deserves the benefit of the doubt and a chance to clarify his position on these issues.

Joke about it if you will, but Walker’s started troubling me when he started traveling to China and negotiating trade deals between Wisconsin and China, something that violates the constitution. Even when constituants [sic] expressed their opposition, as states and cities/towns are forbidden from contracting treaties with foreign governments.

Ceolas on July 4, 2013 at 12:27 PM

Most Governors do that – especially Democrats who like to vacation on the backs of their constituents. Michigan’s former Leftist Governess, Jenny Granholm (she of the failed “Current TV”), had a penchant for traveling to Scandinavia. Sweden’s Electrolux moved out of Michigan due to the enormous taxes and BIG Labor costs.
~(Ä)~

Why do conservative voters have adherence to 100% of conservative principles as their first criteria for president? Shouldn’t proven ability to lead be at the top? Reagan is considered the ultimate conservative POTUS. Was he successful because he was charismatic, gave a good speech, and was conservative? No, he was successful because he was an experienced leader. He was the head of the Screen Actor’s Guild and two-term governor of California. He knew how to lead and did it well.

We don’t often elect senators as POTUS. When we do, they’re largely disasters with our current POTUS a prime example. We’re more and more turning into a banana republic in the way we choose our leaders. It’s a beauty contest. It appears that there’s no thought on what the guy we elect actually has to do as POTUS.

Marco Rubio will only receive my vote if he’s the winner of the primary. No, I won’t stay home. I will hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils, which with the future of the SCOTUS in the balance, it’s the Republican candidate.

This is over-reaction. He didn’t say anything very specific that would commit him to a particular policy – unlike Rubio.

We’re all in favor of a pathway to citizenship: a legal one. If it can be improved, fine. No big deal. Nothing to see here.

The bigger issue with illegals is not Canadians or Irish, but mostly Mexican men, committing crimes and populating our prison system. These people are not here to work hard and persue the American Dream. That’s a problem that representatives should be busy on, not figuring how to get more votes next time the electoral gravy-train pulls into the station.

There are certain key issues for Conservatives to which there is no debate. Securing the border and amnesty for illegals is one of them. Support of the Second Amendment (no gun control) is another. Freedom of the press(and Internet) as well as the right to life is another. Freedom of Religion (don’t force contraception on churches and same sex marriage is another)that are core principles and if a candidate can’ be 100% for these core issues, then to hell with them.

Looks like we have only a couple candidates left and who knows how long they will be standing?

Time to let it bun, rent theEgyptian20 million mob, or start a third party. Me, I like the idea of the 20 million mob coup on DC.